Rosen Life held its inaugural Involvement Banquet on Thursday, April 23 to celebrate the last year’s events and accomplishments, and recognize Registered Student Organizations for their impact on promoting and increasing student involvement on the Rosen College campus. Four RSOs were nominated to receive awards for the following categories:

The Outstanding Service Project Award went to MPI Knights (affiliated with Meeting Professionals International) for their contribution to the local community through their partnership with Clean the World.

The Campus Engagement Award was awarded to the Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International (HSMAI) for their continuous student participation in professional development activities at Rosen College and main campus.

The Campus Innovation Award went to the Knights Special Events Society, a relatively new student organization, for their success in helping students interested in the events industry network and get hands-on event experience.

Finally, the Rosen Life V.I.P. Award was presented to the National Society of Minorities in Hospitality (NSMH) UCF Chapter for their consistent student involvement in the community and at Rosen College and Rosen Life events throughout the year. Some of their achievements include hosting a Salsa Knight with Rosen Life for Hispanic Heritage Month, planning the first Women’s Hospitality and Tourism Leadership Forum at Rosen College and creating the event program for Hospitality Week.

In addition, junior event management major Julie Ludwig was named the first recipient of the Student Leadership Award. Dr. Abraham Pizam, dean of Rosen College, partnered with Rosen Life to create this new scholarship to recognize a student who not only excels academically, but also demonstrates professionalism, leadership and service in the hospitality industry and campus involvement. A panel of faculty members selected Ludwig to receive the honor along with a $1,000 scholarship.